Defender Jonas Olsson insists West Brom are not a dirty team despite collecting more Barclays Premier League red cards than any other side this season.

Midfielder Paul Scharner picked up the Baggies' seventh dismissal of the campaign during Saturday's 2-1 win over Aston Villa at The Hawthorns. Olsson believes Albion are now able to compete more than in previous top flight campaigns - but insists they are not overly physical.

He said: "We're not a dirty team so it's difficult to analyse that (the seven red cards). I had an unfortunate red card, Youssouf (Mulumbu) had one or two and Mozza (James Morrison) had one at Liverpool but I don't think you can see a pattern."

He added: "In one season, we might get six or seven and the next season we might get one or two.

"We don't play dirty football, but this season we have been coping with the physical side better than we did in the past seasons.

"That's one of the factors to putting us in the position we're in."

Olsson believes West Brom are safe from relegation after they took their points tally to 16 from nine games under Roy Hodgson.

He said: "Finally I think we are safe. We're eight points ahead so now we're safe and we can enjoy the last three games.

"If we can finish as the top club in the midlands, and in the upper half of the table, we want to do so.

"Now our aim is just to keep going and keep playing the football that we have been playing."